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At the Jerome Gallery, Julian looked at the newspaper article about Nakamura and then quietly wished Ava luck at Pentonville. Moments later, Ric entered to inform Julian that Ric had become the focus of an inquiry about Julian's silent business partner. Julian pointed out that there was nothing to be concerned about because Ric was only involved in Julian's legitimate businesses.

Ric had worked hard to clean up his act, so he refused to risk being linked to Julian's criminal activity because Ric wanted to be able to look his daughter in the eye to assure Molly that at least one of Molly's parents wasn't in bed with the mob. Alexis appeared in the doorway, cleared her throat, and then asked if she had interrupted the gentleman. Ric sarcastically confessed that she had caught him in the act of conspiring with Julian and then clarified that he had resigned as Julian's attorney.

After Ric left, Alexis asked Julian if what Ric had said was true. Julian was curious if Alexis was there to talk about her ex-husband or what had happened between Julian and Alexis following the party. Alexis revealed that she wasn't ready for Molly to know about Alexis' relationship with Julian in part because Julian had once held T.J. at gunpoint. Julian reminded Alexis that the cat was out of the bag because Molly and T.J. knew that Julian and Alexis had gone out on a date. Alexis agreed, but she wasn't ready for her youngest daughter to realize the exact nature of Alexis' relationship with Julian

Julian smiled when Alexis assured him that their night together had been more than a one-night stand. However, she felt hypocritical getting involved with Julian when she had ended things with Shawn because of the lifestyle choices that Shawn had made. Julian suggested that perhaps Shawn simply hadn't been the right man for Alexis. Julian conceded that he might not be the right guy, either, but he thought that he and Alexis owed it to themselves to dig deep and explore what had developed between them. Alexis agreed, but she wanted to take things slowly and one step at a time.

Julian slowly popped a button loose on Alexis' jacket as he asked if it was a good first step. Alexis smiled, so Julian leaned forward and then kissed her passionately as they slowly made their way to his desk.

At Kelly's, Tracy was shocked when Luke asked how she preferred her BLT because she couldn't believe that Luke was interested in food when his daughter's newly discovered son had been kidnapped by the woman who had been determined to put Luke into a radioactive grave. Luke assured Tracy that he had a plan in place, but he admitted that he hadn't consulted Anna because Anna might not approve of Luke's methods of working beyond the restraints of the law.

Later, Luke offered Tracy a bite of his BLT, but she wasn't interested because the thought of BLTs reminded her of Heather. Luke tactfully changed the subject by mentioning that he had picked up a birthday gift for Tracy, but Tracy reminded him that her birthday had been the previous day. Luke claimed that he hadn't said anything about it the previous day because she'd had other matters to deal with, but Luke loved her more with each passing day, so he had wanted to express that love by telling her about the gift. Tracy was stunned when Luke revealed that he had bought a piece of art for her from Julian Jerome.

Tracy immediately tensed and demanded to know when Luke had become friendly with Julian. Luke insisted that it had merely been a business transaction and that he hoped to have the piece of art framed in time for Tracy's next board meeting. He suggested that she could hang the painting in her office -- or his. Startled, Tracy reminded Luke that he had had never been interested in the corporate world, but Luke insisted that he hated spending time away her, so the solution was for Tracy and Luke to work together.

Luke recalled explaining to Julian that Luke had bled Barrett Industries dry, so Luke had decided to get controlling interest in ELQ by marrying Tracy. However, Luke carefully pushed the memory away as he assured Tracy that he had meant everything that he had said when he had proposed marriage to her. Tracy demanded to know what Luke was really up to because she was fairly certain that Luke intended to use ELQ as his own personal ATM.

Luke claimed that he was eager to be "Mr. Tracy Quartermaine" and spend as much time with her as possible. Tracy remained uncertain, but she had to get to work. Luke immediately pounced on the opportunity to illustrate his point about their lack of time together, but Tracy remained noncommittal. Luke let the matter drop when he spotted Ric approach the counter.

After Tracy left, Luke walked up to Ric to ask if Ric had had fun at the engagement party. Ric was surprised that Luke was interested or cared, so Luke explained that Ric should savor moments like the party while Ric could. "That's not cryptic at all," Ric said with a smirk. Luke smiled as he quietly confided that Sonny wasn't exactly fond of Ric and that Sonny wanted Ric dead. Ric tensed when Luke added that Ric should watch Ric's back and front.

Across town, Britt entered the squad room and announced that she knew where Ben was and would take Dante and Lulu to their son. Stunned, Dante and Lulu questioned Britt about the claims, so Britt told them about Liesl's phone call and offer for Britt to fetch Ben. Britt admitted that Liesl had arranged for Britt to slip out of the country with Ben and then disappear, but Britt hadn't been able to take Ben away from his real parents. Dante and Lulu were shocked when Britt revealed that Liesl and Ben were at Elizabeth Webber's house.

Lulu refused to believe it because she was certain that Elizabeth would have found a way to warn Lulu when Lulu had been at Elizabeth's house earlier, but Britt suggested that perhaps Liesl hadn't given Elizabeth a choice. Britt then reminded Dante and Lulu that time was of the essence because Liesl would become suspicious if Britt didn't arrive to pick up Ben. Lulu agreed and started for the door, but Dante stopped his wife with a reminder that it was a police matter and that the police were better equipped to rescue Ben than Lulu.

Lulu reluctantly agreed to wait at the police station, so Britt offered to stay with Lulu. Lulu glared at Britt, but Dante made it clear that Britt would be going with him to Elizabeth's house. Britt appeared to balk at the idea of taking an active role in her mother's capture, but Dante assured Britt that their goal was to resolve the incident without anyone being harmed. Dante then promised his wife that he would get their son back and assured her that she would soon be reunited with their baby.

After Dante and Britt left, Lulu picked up a framed photograph of Dante and their son. Her eyes filled with unshed tears as she looked at it.

At the Webber residence, Nikolas confronted Elizabeth about confiding to Lulu that Ric had left after dropping Elizabeth off. Nikolas demanded to know who had been in Elizabeth's house, so Liesl stepped forward with a gun aimed with deadly accuracy at Elizabeth. "That would be me," Liesl informed Nikolas as she ordered Nikolas to enter the house.

Liesl warned Nikolas not to make any sudden movements because she wouldn't hesitate to leave Elizabeth's "brats" motherless like Nikolas' son, Spencer. Nikolas offered to switch places with Elizabeth, but Liesl wasn't impressed with Nikolas' display of chivalry. Nikolas refused to give up, so he offered to pay Liesl however much money she wanted to leave Ben and disappear.

Liesl scoffed at the offer, so Elizabeth quickly filled Nikolas in on Liesl's plan to provide Britt with the means to flee the country with Ben. Nikolas refused to believe that Britt would leave her life behind, but Liesl pointed out that there was nothing left of Britt's life because Nikolas had abandoned Britt when Britt had needed him the most. Outraged, Nikolas reminded Liesl that Britt had stolen his sister's only child and then had tried to pass the baby off as Britt's own. Liesl countered that Britt would have devoted Britt's entire life to Nikolas, but Nikolas explained that he had never wanted that.

Liesl was determined to give Britt and Ben a new life, but Nikolas argued that Britt would never torture Dante and Lulu by disappearing with their son. Nikolas explained that as twisted and callous as Britt was, Britt was still a better person than Liesl, so he warned Liesl that Britt likely had gone to the police with the information that Liesl had provided. Nikolas urged Liesl to leave Ben and flee while Liesl still had the chance, but Liesl threatened to kill Nikolas instead. Elizabeth stepped forward to remind Liesl that it would devastate Britt if Liesl were to kill Nikolas.

Liesl agreed with Elizabeth, so she threatened to kill Elizabeth. However, before Liesl could carry out the threat, Britt knocked on the door and asked for her mother. Meanwhile, Dante hid on the porch as other police officers hovered in the bushes surrounding the house.

At the hospital, Silas was startled when Ava tapped him on the shoulder and asked to speak to him privately about an urgent matter. Ava quietly explained that Nakamura was alive and set to identify his would-be assassin. She then added that she had overheard Nathan mention to Julian that Nakamura was at Metro Court. Ava advised Silas to act quickly before Silas ended up behind bars for life.

Silas seemed confused about why Ava thought that he should go to the hotel to silence Nakamura. Ava appeared equally taken aback by the question and explained that she knew that Silas had been the one to kill Nina and attempt to kill Nakamura. Silas was puzzled about why Ava would believe that. "You loved me," Ava explained and then added that he had wanted to be with her rather than his wife. Silas quietly asked Ava if that was what had happened, so Ava was forced to admit that he had pushed her away after Nina had slipped into a coma, and he had confessed that he couldn't look at Ava without feeling guilty

Silas explained that he had hated himself for twenty years because he had thought that his affair with Ava had driven Nina to attempt suicide. Ava suddenly realized that she had been wrong; Silas hadn't tried to kill his wife. Ava swore on their daughter's life that she had never laid a finger on Nina or Nakamura, so Silas wondered who, if not Ava, had wielded the deadly syringes.

Ava didn't have an answer, but Silas appeared to believe that Ava hadn't been responsible for Nina or Nakamura's deaths. Silas and Ava talked about their relationship and admitted that it had been doomed because they had never really trusted each other. Silas started to leave, but Ava called out to him and then lovingly stroked the side of his face as she tearfully wished him luck finding the answers that he needed.

After Silas thanked Ava and walked away, Morgan called out to her. Ava was surprised when she saw Morgan until he confessed that he had followed her because he had been worried about her. Ava realized that Morgan hadn't trusted her when he began to question her about Silas. She resented Morgan's suspicions, but Morgan wanted to know if Ava still had feelings for Silas. Ava conceded that she would always love Silas because he was the father of her daughter, but Morgan continued to question Ava about her feelings for Silas.

Ava insisted that she loved Silas and Morgan, but each for different reasons. Morgan wasn't satisfied, so Ava was curious if Morgan could deny having feelings for Kiki when he saw Kiki. Ava reminded him that he and Kiki had not only been married, but Morgan had taken the divorce hard. "It's not the same thing," Morgan argued. "Isn't it?" Ava returned.

In the hotel suite, Nathan was stunned when he realized that his mother, Madeline, had walked into the trap that had been set for Ava. Sam managed to get the deadly syringe away from Madeline and then promptly bagged it as Nathan tried to make sense of what had happened. Madeline pretended to have no idea what was going on, but Sam advised Madeline to drop the act because it had been a setup to catch Nina and Nakamura's killer. Sam asked if Nathan intended to arrest "this bitch."

"That bitch is my mother," Nathan quietly explained. Sam quickly recovered from her shock as she realized why Nathan had wanted justice for Nina. Nathan furiously accused his mother of deliberately pointing him in the wrong direction, but Madeline went on the offensive by accusing Sam of trying to confuse Nathan and then pointed out that there wasn't any proof that Madeline had done anything wrong.

Sam disagreed and pointed to the bagged syringe that Madeline had intended to inject Nakamura with. Madeline continued to proclaim her innocence to "James," prompting Sam to wonder who James was. Nathan ignored the question to warn his mother that the forensics lab would determine what was in the syringe. Sam argued that the only reason that Madeline had been in the room was because Madeline had intended to finish what Madeline had started. Sam was certain that Madeline had not only killed Nakamura but Nina as well.

Moments later, Silas burst through the door to ask if Sam was okay. Silas was startled when he saw Madeline, so he asked why Madeline was there. Sam quickly filled Silas in on what had happened and then added that Nathan was Madeline's son. Stunned, Silas recalled meeting Nina's much younger brother a couple of times, but the visits had been in secret because Madeline had objected to Nina's brother spending time with Silas. Madeline explained that Silas had already corrupted Nina, so Madeline had refused to allow Silas near James.

Silas was confused because he didn't recall that Nina's brother's name had been Nathan, so Nathan revealed that his full name was James Nathan Reeves, but Nathan had decided to use his middle name and mother's maiden name to hide his true identity and interest in Nina's case. Nathan had never imagined that he should look at his mother, so Silas insisted that Madeline owed all of them answers. Madeline disagreed that she owed Silas anything because Silas had driven Nina away from her family.

"Yeah, what about your son?" Silas asked. Madeline tried to reach for her son's hand, but Nathan evaded her touch and demanded to know what Nina could have done to warrant his mother to want to kill her. "I was trying to get rid of her baby," Madeline blurted out.

In Franco's hotel suite, Franco left Carly a voicemail message requesting that Carly return his call. However, she entered the suite during the message, so he ended the call and asked where she had been. Franco admitted that he had wanted to surprise Carly with dinner, but the food had grown cold. Carly apologized and then explained that she had been with Michael, trying to help make funeral arrangements for A.J. because Monica was an emotional mess. Franco appreciated that Carly would do anything to help take her son's pain away, but he was curious why she hadn't bothered to call or send a text message to let him know where she was.

Carly claimed that her phone had been dead, but Franco suspected that Carly had been trying to avoid him because she had hoped to avoid a discussion with Franco about what she and Sonny were hiding. Carly tried to brush it off as parental concern for Michael, but Franco didn't believe her because he had sensed that there had been more going on between Sonny and Carly when Sonny had stopped by earlier. Carly justified Sonny's rude behavior as typical for Sonny when Sonny was worried, but Franco wasn't satisfied and insisted that Carly deserved better. Carly didn't want to argue with Franco about Sonny, but Franco wanted Carly to trust Franco with her secrets for the sake of their relationship.

Franco appreciated that he had given Carly plenty of reasons not to trust him, but he promised that he had learned his lesson. Carly insisted that she just wanted to protect Franco in case the police began to ask questions. She was surprised when Franco suddenly smiled with relief because he realized what Carly was hiding; Sonny had shot A.J. Stunned, Carly wondered how he had figured it out, so Franco admitted that he had been able to put the pieces together based on what she had said about her nightmare earlier that morning, Sonny's behavior, and the news that A.J. had died. Carly reluctantly admitted that Franco was right.

At the Floating Rib, Olivia ended a phone call with Anna and then excitedly told Sonny that there had been a promising lead in the search for their grandson. Olivia revealed that Anna hoped to call Olivia back with good news. However, Olivia's spirits sagged when she noticed that Sonny appeared sad.

Sonny thought about his talk with Carly and her assurance that she would keep Sonny's secret because she would pick Sonny to be Michael's father if she had everything to do over again. Unaware of his thoughts, Olivia assumed that Sonny had been thinking about their missing grandson, so she wondered if perhaps Sonny thought that she was being too optimistic. Sonny confessed that he had been thinking about Michael, not Ben, because Michael was going through a difficult time.

Olivia felt bad because she realized that Michael had been dealing with the loss of a parent, but she assured Sonny that Michael was strong and that she and Sonny would be there to help Michael get through the hardship. Sonny explained that Michael felt guilty because A.J. had put Michael in the position of having to make a medical decision for A.J. Olivia argued that it had been a no-win situation because there had been drawbacks with each option that Michael had faced.

Olivia insisted that the person responsible for A.J.'s death was the person who had shot A.J. and then had left A.J. to die. She promised Sonny that the police would resume the investigation into A.J.'s murder as soon as Sonny and Olivia's grandson had been found and returned home. Olivia was confident that Michael would be able to stop blaming himself and move forward once A.J.'s killer had been found and convicted because it would give Michael a sense of justice.

Sonny revealed Michael would not stop until the shooter had been caught because Michael was as relentless as Carly when it concerned a loved one. Olivia suggested that it would go a long way in helping if Sonny were at Michael's side because Sonny was the only father that Michael had left. She realized that it was hypocritical of her to try to comfort Michael because she had accused A.J. of escaping justice for murdering Connie, but Sonny had nothing to be ashamed of and had never broken his promise to Michael. A short time later, Anna called with an update about Ben.

At Metro Court, Nathan was stunned when his mother confessed that she hadn't tried to kill Nina; she had tried to kill Nina's unborn child. "What did you say?" Silas asked in disbelief and then accused Madeline of lying about the pregnancy. Madeline snidely informed Silas that he hadn't known about the baby because he had been too busy "shacking up" with his mistress.

According to Madeline, she had hired a private investigator to follow Silas and obtain irrefutable proof of Silas's infidelity. Madeline had learned of Nina's pregnancy when Madeline had showed Nina the pictures of Silas and Ava because Nina had been certain that Silas would leave Ava if he knew about the baby. Madeline tearfully explained that she had been forced to act quickly, but Nathan couldn't understand why his mother would do such an awful thing. Silas suspected that Madeline had been motivated by greed because she hadn't wanted to share the family's estate with Nina's child.

Silas assured Madeline that he would have welcomed the child and that he and Nina would have been happy, but Nathan demanded answers about his sister's murder. Madeline reluctantly admitted that she had learned that too much of Nina's antidepressant might have resulted in a miscarriage, but Silas doubted that there had been anything innocent about Madeline's research into the drug. Silas and Madeline continued to trade heated words until Nathan questioned Madeline about Nakamura. Madeline denied any knowledge of the pharmacist, but Silas suspected that Madeline had met Nakamura when Madeline had picked up Nina's refills.

Silas suspected that Madeline had swiped a prescription from Silas' pad and then had paid Nakamura to fill it the prescription. Madeline accused Silas of lying and twisting the facts, but Silas ignored her as he wondered how Madeline had managed to inject Nina with the overdose because there hadn't been any sign of a struggle.

Silas suddenly realized that Madeline had likely used the pictures of Silas' affair to drive Nina to tears and then had offered to give Nina something to calm Nina's nerves. Nathan was horrified when he realized that there had been a ring of truth to Silas' theory. Madeline promptly dissolved into tears and repeatedly promised Nathan that she had never intended to hurt her precious daughter. Madeline wailed that it had been a terrible mistake and insisted that she had loved her daughter, but Nathan was disgusted and arrested his mother for the murders of his sister, Nina, and Mr. Nakamura.

Later, Sam tried to offer Silas words of comfort, but Silas confessed that he had been tempted to strangle Madeline when he realized that Madeline had murdered her own daughter and grandchild. Sam agreed that Madeline had done it for the money, but Silas' mood shifted as he quietly conceded that he should have been a better husband. Sam made it clear that Silas was not to blame for what had happened, but Silas didn't appear to agree.

Silas recalled how much Nina had loved her younger brother and how Madeline would use Nina's love for James to manipulate Nina. However, Nina would manage to get time alone with James, which would remind Silas of what a great mother Nina would make one day. Sam pointed out that Silas had his answers, so he could move forward and take comfort in knowing that Madeline would pay for her crimes.

In the squad room, Lulu looked at a picture of Dante and their son as she wondered what kind of Spencer she was. She decided to take action rather than wait to hear from Dante, but she had only made it to the front desk before Anna stopped Lulu by asking where Lulu was headed. Lulu insisted that she needed to go to Elizabeth's house to help Dante rescue Ben, so Anna patiently explained that Lulu would only get in the way because the police, including Dante, had been trained to handle child abduction situations.

Anna assured Lulu that Anna knew what Lulu felt like, but Lulu doubted it. Anna opened up about Robin's abduction when Robin had been a young child and how Anna had been frantic with worry but powerless to help Robin. Anna talked about the fear, anger, and need for Anna to hold her child, so Lulu wondered how Anna had gotten through the ordeal. Anna confided that she had kept faith in the firm belief that Robin would remain safe and return home.

Anna revealed that it had been the sweetest moment in her life when Robin had been returned. Anna's eyes filled with tears as she recalled what it had felt like when Robin had run into Anna's open arms and the feeling of pure love that had washed over Anna as Anna had held her daughter. Lulu's eyes clouded with doubt as she tearfully confessed that she might not be as lucky as Anna had been, but Anna insisted that Dante would return Lulu's son to Lulu.

Later, Nathan arrived at the police station with Madeline in tow. Shocked, Anna asked why Nathan had arrested Madeline, so he revealed that Nina's mother had murdered Nina and Mr. Nakamura. Anna sensed that there was a lot more to the story, so Nathan confirmed that there was, but he wasn't ready to talk about it. Anna promised to have Madeline processed and then sent to lockup. Nathan thanked her and then left.

A short time later, Nathan arrived home. He was startled when he heard a noise, but his curiosity turned to a welcome smile when Maxie rounded the corner.

At the Webber residence, police officers hid in bushes and along Elizabeth's front porch as they surrounded the house. Dante hovered close to Britt as Britt knocked on the door and called out to her mother.

Inside, Liesl waved the gun around and threatened to shoot Elizabeth, so Nikolas pointed out that it would alert the neighbors and put Britt's escape with Ben in jeopardy. Moments later, Britt knocked on the door and asked to talk to her mother. Liesl agreed not to shoot Elizabeth, so she sent Elizabeth to fetch Ben with a warning that Nikolas would pay the price if Elizabeth tried anything. Next, Liesl ordered Nikolas to answer the door.

Britt was stunned when she saw Nikolas standing in Elizabeth's home, but Liesl shoved him aside and pulled Britt into the house. Liesl demanded to know if anyone had followed Britt, so Britt assured her mother that she was alone.

Outside, Dante radioed his fellow police officers to alert them that there was an additional hostage.

Inside the house, Britt revealed that it had turned out that she hadn't committed a crime by taking the embryos. Nikolas grumbled, but Liesl explained that an embryo lacked any monetary value. Liesl worried that Britt had been followed, but Britt denied it and insisted that she wouldn't have put Ben at risk. Britt was curious where Ben was, but Nikolas was disgusted that Britt intended to go through with the plan to steal Dante and Lulu's baby again. Nikolas accused Britt of endangering Ben, but Britt insisted that she only wanted to do what was best for the baby.

Moments later, Elizabeth returned with the baby nestled in her arms. Britt reached for the baby, but Liesl stopped Britt. "Not so fast," Liesl said and then instructed Nikolas to fetch a bag and place it on the sofa. Liesl's eyes filled with tears as she explained that the bag contained everything that Britt would need to start a new life with Ben. Liesl didn't know when or if she could join her daughter and grandson, but Liesl had wanted to make certain that Britt and Ben had had everything.

Britt became choked up as she thanked her mother and then reached for Ben. Liesl ordered Elizabeth to return to Nikolas' side as Britt pointedly talked about how grateful she was to have Ben in her arms. Moments later, the police stormed into the house. Liesl's surprise turned to disbelief and then fury when she realized that Britt had betrayed her, so Britt admitted that she had cooperated with the police and had worn a wire. Dante ordered Liesl to put the gun down, so Liesl started to comply by setting the gun on the coffee table.

However, seconds later, Liesl grabbed the gun. Nikolas sensed what was about to happen, so he reached the gun at the same time. A brief struggle ensued until a shot rang out. In the stunned silence that followed, Dante and his fellow police officers managed to overpower Liesl and wrest the gun away from her. Nikolas was horrified when he realized that Elizabeth had been shot. Elizabeth looked down at the gunshot wound in her shoulder and then collapsed as Nikolas reached for her.

Liesl was escorted out as Dante happily reunited with Ben. Meanwhile, Nikolas set Elizabeth on the sofa and then begged someone to call for help. Britt raced over to help but quickly realized that Elizabeth had lost a lot of blood. Britt pressed a cloth to the wound and ordered Nikolas to fetch a blanket. Nikolas returned with the blanket and begged Britt to help Elizabeth.

Nikolas realized that Britt hated Elizabeth and had blamed Elizabeth for everything that had recently happened, but he begged Britt not to let Elizabeth die. Moments later, Elizabeth's eyes slid closed.

At the police station, a guard escorted Liesl to a jail cell and then accused her of being a "baby stealer." Liesl muttered in German that her day kept getting worse, but she became distracted when she heard a woman crying in a nearby jail cell. Liesl made a snide remark about tears of self-pity, but her smile vanished when Madeline looked up. The two women immediately recognized each other.

In the squad room, Lulu grew tired of waiting, so she decided to head to Elizabeth's house. However, she but stopped short when Dante appeared in the doorway, holding their son in his arms. Lulu's face lit with joy when she realized that her son was safe and sound.

In Franco's hotel suite, Carly confessed that Sonny had shot A.J. Franco admitted that there wasn't much to say except that it was awesome because Franco finally had the "son of a bitch" where he had wanted him. Carly was stunned when Franco pulled out the cell phone with the intention of calling the police to report Sonny. She quickly snatched the phone out of his hand and demanded to know what he was doing.

Franco confessed that he was tired of Sonny's constant threats and superior attitude because Sonny killed people for a business. Franco thought that it was time for Sonny to feel the cops breathing down Sonny's neck because Sonny had finally crossed a line and had broken Sonny's own code by murdering A.J. in cold blood. Carly refused to let Franco make the phone call because she was determined to protect Michael.

Carly explained that Michael had already lost a father, so Michael couldn't go through the loss of another father. Franco shrugged because he thought that both Sonny and A.J. had been lousy fathers. Carly objected to Franco saying anything negative about Sonny because she insisted that Sonny had been a great father to Michael. "Right up until the moment he pulled the trigger on A.J.," Franco countered.

Carly implored Franco not to make her regret trusting him because the truth could destroy her son. Franco softened and assured Carly that he would take the secret to his grave, but he admitted that it would be difficult not to say anything to Sonny because Sonny was a hypocrite. Carly admitted that Sonny wasn't the only hypocrite and then filled Franco in about Ava's role in the shooting. Carly admitted that something seemed off. A.J. had claimed that Sonny had shot A.J. because of Ava.

Franco pointed out that Sonny had walked in on A.J. strangling Ava, but Carly clarified that Sonny had shot A.J. after A.J. had moved away from Ava. Franco was curious why A.J. had been in Ava's apartment, so Carly explained that Ava had claimed that A.J. had been looking for a job with Julian to take Sonny down. Carly was determined to get to the bottom of things because she had the sense that Ava was involved in a way that Sonny didn't realize.

At the hospital, Elizabeth arrived by ambulance as Britt explained that Elizabeth had suffered a gunshot wound and had lost a significant amount of blood. The attending emergency room doctor instructed the staff to take Elizabeth to a nearby examination room. Nikolas begged for information about Elizabeth's condition, but no one could answer him. Britt assured him that they had managed to slow down Elizabeth's bleeding in the ambulance and had made it to the hospital in time. Nikolas reluctantly thanked Britt for helping Elizabeth and reuniting Dante and Lulu with Ben, so Britt pointed out that it was the least that she could have done.

Nikolas' temper flared as he informed Britt that the least that she could have done was not to steal Dante and Lulu's frozen embryos to trap Patrick with a baby that wasn't even Patrick's. "All of this grief, sadness, violence -- it's all because of you," Nikolas told her. Britt quietly apologized, but that only infuriated Nikolas further because her apologies couldn't make up for all that she had done.

Britt admitted that Nikolas was right, but she could only tell the people that she had hurt how deeply sorry she was and then leave them in peace. She appeared surprised when Nikolas agreed but made it clear that he wanted her to leave. She assured him that her love for him had been real and then walked away.

A short time later, the doctor emerged from Elizabeth's examination room, so Nikolas asked for an update. The doctor revealed that Elizabeth was expected to make a full recovery, but she would be in pain for a while. Nikolas wanted to see her, but the doctor objected because Nikolas wasn't family, so Nikolas informed the doctor that Nikolas was a member of the hospital's board.

Elizabeth smiled when Nikolas entered the examination room, so Nikolas immediately apologized because he felt responsible for Liesl shooting Elizabeth. Elizabeth refused to allow Nikolas to blame himself, but Nikolas continued to beat himself up because of the way that he had treated Elizabeth at the party. Elizabeth reminded Nikolas that she had already accepted his apology, but he wondered if she had forgiven him because she had been held at gunpoint. Elizabeth assured Nikolas that she had meant what she had said, but she conceded that she had also wanted him safely away from Liesl. Nikolas relaxed as he reached out and affectionately squeezed Elizabeth's hand.

At the Floating Rib, Olivia cheerfully thanked Anna for the update and then ended the call to let Sonny know that their grandson had been found and would soon be at home with Dante and Lulu. Sonny smiled, but it was clear that he had other things on his mind. Olivia felt bad for Sonny because she felt that he had been caught in one nightmare after another, so he couldn't truly enjoy the happy news about their grandson. Sonny conceded that he was concerned about Michael, but he promised that he was delighted for Dante and Lulu.

Olivia suggested that she and Sonny take a moment to count their blessings and then head over to Dante and Lulu's apartment to spend time with their grandson. Sonny urged Olivia to reconsider because he thought that Dane and Lulu needed some space and time alone with Ben. He assured Olivia that they could spend the following day, bonding with their grandson, so Olivia decided to go shopping for diapers, baby food, and other things that the baby would need.

Sonny spotted Ava at the bar, so he promised to catch up with Olivia later because he claimed that he needed some time alone. Olivia reminded Sonny that he was not to blame for Michael's pain and then left.

Moments later, Sonny approached the bar to let Ava know that they needed to talk because Carly knew the truth about the shooting. Sonny and Ava went to a quiet booth to discuss A.J.'s deathbed confession. Ava feared that Carly would talk, but Sonny assured Ava that Carly had agreed to keep quiet for Michael's sake. Ava recalled A.J. confronting her about killing Connie, so she asked what A.J.'s exact words had been. Ava relaxed when Sonny shared the details about what A.J. had said because she realized that her secret remained safe.

However, Ava remained concerned about Carly. Sonny explained that he had told Carly that he had walked in on A.J. strangling Ava, so he promised Ava that there was nothing to worry about. Sonny insisted that Carly would take a bullet for Michael and knew what it would do to Michael if Michael were to learn the truth about what Sonny had done.

In the squad room, Lulu smiled with joy when she saw her husband and son. Her happiness turned to concern when she asked if Liesl had harmed their son and then suggested that they take the baby to the hospital to be checked out. Dante smiled as he assured Lulu that Ben was fine. He then invited Lulu to hold her son. Lulu tearfully took her son into her arms and then hugged the baby tightly. Dante smiled as he kissed the top of both Lulu's and his son's heads.

The couple found a quiet corner with their son as Lulu confessed that she felt as if the other shoe would drop and she would wake from a dream. Dante pinched Lulu to prove to her that it was real and then expressed relief that their ordeal was over, and they had their son back. Dante realized that things could have turned out differently if Britt hadn't cooperated. However, he confessed that there had been one complication.

Lulu was upset when Dante told his wife about Elizabeth's shooting. Lulu insisted that they owed everything to Elizabeth because Elizabeth had been the one to figure out the truth about Ben from the very beginning. Dante agreed and called the hospital to check on Elizabeth. He was grateful when Epiphany revealed that Elizabeth was expected to make a full recovery.

Dante and Lulu decided to head home but stopped in the squad room when they saw Britt enter. Dante coldly informed Britt that Liesl was in lockup, but Britt explained that she was there to see Ben, not her mother. Dante suggested that Britt return to wherever she was living and contact her attorney to discuss the charges that Britt would be facing. Britt tearfully begged for an opportunity to say goodbye to Ben because she desperately needed it. Dante refused, but Lulu surprised him by agreeing and then handing the baby to Britt.

Britt hugged Ben fiercely and then promised the baby that everything would be okay. She explained that she would be going away, but Dante and Lulu were his parents and that they would love Ben and take better care of him than she had. She promised the baby that she had always loved him and then kissed him one last time before handing Ben back to Lulu.

After Britt ran out of the police station in tears, Dante confessed that Lulu had shown far more compassion for Britt than he would have. Lulu pointed out that they couldn't deny that Britt had carried their son for nine months, given birth to him, and then taken care of Ben. Lulu appreciated how difficult it had been for Britt to let Ben go because of what they had gone through with Maxie.

Meanwhile, an exhausted Nathan arrived home and then dropped into a chair. However, he tensed when he heard a noise in the hallway, so he jumped up to confront the intruder. Maxie suddenly emerged from the hallway and smiled at him. She apologized when she realized that she had startled him, but Nathan brushed it off and asked about her trip. Maxie confessed that she had enjoyed the trip, but she had cut it short.

Maxie shifted gears as she noticed that everything looked exactly as it had when she had left. She admitted that she was disappointed because she had hoped that things would be different. She changed the subject by asking if he had been enjoying his time in Port Charles. Nathan quietly admitted that he wouldn't say that, prompting Maxie to wonder why. Nathan was reluctant to discuss it, but Maxie assured him that she had learned to be a good listener.

Nathan revealed that he had been forced to make a difficult arrest, which surprised Maxie because she hadn't realized that he had been a police officer. Nathan appeared puzzled because he was certain that he had mentioned it when he had answered her ad. Maxie conceded that she had been flighty, but she was certain that she would have recalled if Nathan had mentioned being a police officer.

The conversation was suddenly cut short when a young man with an Australian accent emerged from the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. The young man confessed that he had used all of the shampoo, so Maxie seized the opportunity to introduce Nathan to Levi. Levi offered to replace the shampoo with a more environmentally friendly product, but Nathan was curious how Maxie had met Levi. Maxie revealed that she had met Levi during her travels and that Levi had persuaded her to volunteer in the Philippines after the typhoon had struck.

Nathan seemed surprised that Maxie had helped with the disaster relief, so Levi suggested that Nathan try it because it was rewarding. Levi began to talk about volunteer work, but Maxie sensed that it wasn't a good time and suggested that they give Nathan some space. Levi realized that something was troubling Nathan and tried to offer some advice, but Nathan refused to discuss his problems with a stranger. Levi was confident that it couldn't be that bad, so Nathan revealed that he had arrested his own mother for murdering his pregnant sister.

"Is that bad enough for you?" Nathan asked. Maxie felt terrible for Nathan and apologized. Levi agreed that it was "heavy," but advised Nathan to move forward by forgiving his mother. According to Levi, anger was toxic and would eventually consume the soul, but Nathan's temper flared because Levi didn't understand the situation or know Nathan.

Shortly after Nathan had stormed out, Levi got dressed and then returned to the living room. He regretted that he hadn't kept his mouth shut, but Maxie assured Levi that she had always appreciated his openness. She admitted that she probably wouldn't have gone to the Philippines if it hadn't been for Levi. Maxie credited Levi for teaching her to help others and to get past what she had done to Dante and Lulu. Levi smiled as he reminded Maxie that giving tended to yield greater returns and then kissed her.

At the police station, in lockup, the guard sneered as he accused Liesl of being a "baby stealer" and then walked away. Liesl became frustrated when she heard a woman weeping in a nearby jail cell, so she demanded that the self-pity stop. Madeline looked up to chastise Liesl but was stunned when she recognized Liesl. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Madeline asked as she looked at Liesl, who glared at Madeline with open hostility.

Madeline suggested that it had been a twist of fate that had landed both Madeline and Liesl in the same jail. "A cruel twist of fate," Liesl replied. Madeline resented her younger sister's attitude. Liesl denied that Madeline was her sister because Liesl's sister's name had been Magda Westbourne. Madeline confessed that she had never cared for the name because it had always reminded Madeline of avant-garde theater.

Liesl accused Madeline of allowing Madeline's aspirations and vanity to get the best of Madeline, but Madeline refused to apologize for leaving Zurich behind. Madeline claimed that she hadn't had a choice, but Liesl argued that it hadn't mattered who Madeline had left behind. Madeline seemed surprised that her sister, Liesl, had wanted to leave with Madeline, but Liesl ignored the remark and focused on her sister's transformation that included losing Madeline's accent and forgetting Madeline's roots. Madeline insisted that she had been desperate to strike out and start a new life.

"Brava," Liesl said as she looked around and then pointed out that they were both in jail. Madeline argued that neither of them had the right to judge the other and then asked why Liesl was in jail. Madeline suspected that it had something to do with the "maniacal Dane" that Liesl had always followed around. "Faison?" Madeline asked as she suddenly recalled the man's name.

Liesl bristled and warned Madeline not to say Cesar's name. However, Liesl admitted that her situation had nothing to do with Faison and everything to do with Liesl's daughter. "What's your excuse?" Liesl asked. Madeline confessed that they were "jailbirds" of a feather because Madeline was behind bars because of her own daughter. Liesl couldn't remember her niece's name, so Madeline reminded her sister that Madeline's daughter's name had been Nina, but Nina had recently passed away.

Liesl seemed genuinely sad for her sister, so Liesl extended her condolences in German. Madeline scoffed because she doubted that Liesl had any sympathy for Madeline. Liesl conceded that she had used the wrong word; Liesl had meant that she had empathy, but Madeline argued that Liesl's daughter wasn't dead.

Moments later, Nathan entered and approached his mother's jail cell to demand answers. He reminded her that she had claimed that everything that she had done had been for him, so he wanted to know what she had meant by that. Madeline seemed nervous as she suggested that they speak in private, but Nathan refused because he wanted to know why his father had disinherited him and Madeline, but not Nina. "Why? Answer me, mother," Nathan shouted.

"Mutter" Liesl muttered in shock as she watched Nathan confront Madeline about his father's will. Madeline claimed that she didn't know and then snidely suggested that he ask his father. Nathan reminded Madeline that they both knew that he couldn't do that. Disgusted, Nathan had no idea why he'd thought that his mother would give him honest answers when all she had ever done was lie to him.

After Nathan marched out, Liesl asked about Nathan. "That detective -- he called you mother. That's him, isn't it?" Liesl asked as tears shimmered in her eyes. Madeline refused to discuss it and made it clear that James was none of Liesl's business. "The hell he isn't. He's my son," Liesl replied.

At the Floating Rib, Britt found herself sitting alone at the bar, feeling completely dejected. Moments later, Nathan walked up and asked if the seat next to her was free. Britt nodded, so Nathan sat down.

At Greystone Manor, Sonny was startled when he entered the parlor and saw Ric seated in a chair, sipping on a drink. Ric explained that he had told the guard that he was Sonny's brother and that the guard had assumed that Sonny and Ric were on good terms. Ric suggested that Sonny fill the henchmen in about the true nature of Sonny's relationship with Ric, especially if Sonny intended to kill Ric. "What the hell are you talking about?" Sonny asked.

Ric told Sonny about Luke's warning, but Sonny was confused and asked what exactly Luke had said. Ric provided his brother with the details, but Sonny insisted that none of it made sense, prompting Ric to wonder if Sonny wanted Ric to believe that Luke had made the whole thing up. Ric dared Sonny to deny that Sonny and Luke had talked about Ric, so Sonny conceded that there had been a conversation, but it was not what Ric thought.

Ric adamantly denied secretly financing Julian Jerome's organization or being Julian's boss. However, Ric admitted that he had done some legitimate legal work for Julian, but Ric had decided to sever those ties with Julian for the sake of Sonny. Startled, Sonny demanded to know why. Ric explained that he wanted peace with his brother, so Ric didn't want Sonny to think that Ric had been siding with one of Sonny's competitors. Ric warned Sonny that Sonny would be killing the wrong man if Sonny went after Ric, and then Ric stormed out.

Outside of the Floating Rib, Julian called Sam. He apologized for calling so late, but he had been anxious to find out if the plan to clear Silas' name and catch Ava had worked. Sam revealed that they had caught someone, but it hadn't been Ava. She quickly filled him in on what had transpired at the hotel, so Julian offered to help if Sam needed further assistance. Sam thanked her father and then ended the call.

Moments later, Luke walked up. Luke was curious if the phone call had been good news, so Julian shook his head and revealed that Ava was still in the way. Luke smiled despite the slight snag in plans because he anticipated that the problem with Sonny would soon be resolved.

Julian and Luke entered the bar separately. Julian hesitated in the doorway when he spotted Nathan at the bar, but Luke proceeded to a booth and waited for Julian to join him. Julian sat down and warned Luke that it might not be a good idea for them to be seen together because there was a cop at the bar. Luke was unconcerned because as far as anyone else was concerned, Luke was an art collector and Julian his supplier. Luke revealed that he would need Julian to pick out "any piece of crap" that Luke could pass off as art because Luke had promised Tracy a birthday present.

After drinks were served, Luke bragged that he had fanned the flames of hatred between the "brothers Corinthos." Julian was curious why, so Luke explained that it had been to keep Sonny off-balance and looking in the wrong direction. Julian admitted that it might have been a mistake to try to pit Sonny and Ric against each other because Ric had decided to quit working for Julian. Luke shrugged and suggested that perhaps Sonny would see it as an attempt by Ric to throw Sonny off.

Julian was impressed with Luke's ideas, but Julian suggested Luke keep Julian in the loop rather than play games. Luke made it clear that his plans for Port Charles were deadly serious and then revealed that a new drug shipment would be arriving within the hour. Julian assured Luke that Julian had people on it, but Luke wanted Julian to supervise the unloading of the shipment because Luke needed the product to move quickly. Luke explained that the sooner that they got their hands on the money from the sale of the drugs then the sooner they could launder it through ELQ. Julian promised to rally the troops and then left.

Moments later, Sonny called Luke to ask Luke to stop by the house. Luke pointed out that it was one in the morning, but Sonny insisted that it was important. A short time later, Luke entered Sonny's parlor. "What kind of games you playing Luke?" Sonny asked.

At the penthouse, Sam ended the call with Julian as Silas entered the bedroom, carrying Danny. Silas explained that Danny had woken up, so Sam decided to fetch her son a bottle of milk. She offered to take Danny, but Silas admitted that he enjoyed spending time with the baby. He realized that if it hadn't been for Madeline, he might have had a son of his own.

Later, Sam returned to the bedroom with a warm bottle of milk for Danny. Silas was seated in the rocking chair with Danny, so he offered to give Danny the bottle. Sam smiled as she watched Silas and Danny because she realized that Silas would have been an amazing father. Silas confessed that he had been thinking a lot about what it would have been like to have a family with Nina. He quickly assured Sam that he was happy with Sam, but Sam assured him that it wasn't necessary to explain because she understood what he was trying to say.

Sam admitted that she wished that Danny could have known Jason. She explained that even though a loved one had passed, a part of them remained forever with those who had loved them. Silas agreed and confided that he wondered what his and Nina's child would have looked like and been like. His eyes clouded with sadness because Madeline had taken that away.

Later, Sam returned to the bedroom after putting Danny back to bed. She was impressed with how easily Silas had gotten her son to sleep. Silas explained that he and Danny had bonded while Danny had been in the hospital, but Silas enjoyed having Danny in his life. Sam smiled and kissed Silas, but she immediately sensed that he was still troubled. Silas confessed that it was both nothing and everything. Silas and Sam talked about his child that had died and his relationship with Kiki.

Silas explained that even though Kiki had moved in with him, he barely saw her. However, he enjoyed what little time they did spend together. Sam pointed out that the day hadn't been a complete disaster because Silas' name had been cleared and Nina's murderer had been put behind bars. Silas agreed that it was a relief that he was no longer suspected of murder and credited Sam for solving the case. Sam tried to downplay her role in things, but Silas refused to let her because if it hadn't been for Sam, they wouldn't have known what had happened to Nina.

Silas and Sam kissed and then made love. Afterwards, Sam asked if Silas was okay. He assured her that he was, but she suspected that he had been thinking about Nina and the baby. Silas explained that it had been a lot to take in, but at least Madeline was behind bars, and he and Sam were free to move forward.

At the hospital, Elizabeth reminded Nikolas that she had accepted his apology for the way that he had lashed out at her during the party. Nikolas explained that he feared that she had just said what she had needed to say to get rid of him because Liesl had had a gun pointed at Elizabeth, but Elizabeth assured him that she had meant what she had said and then admitted that she was glad that Nikolas was there. Nikolas reached for her hand and then squeezed it, so Elizabeth asked how he had been holding up.

Nikolas pointed out that he hadn't been the one who had been shot, but Elizabeth clarified that she had been referring to everything that had happened between him and Britt. Nikolas appreciated Elizabeth's concern, but he promised her that he was fine. Elizabeth knew him too well to believe him, so she urged him to allow himself to feel the pain because he had planned a future with Britt, and his life had imploded. Elizabeth confessed that she knew firsthand that those kinds of feelings didn't vanish overnight.

Shocked, Nikolas wondered if Elizabeth thought that he was still in love with Britt. "Aren't you?" Elizabeth asked. Nikolas denied it and then reminded Elizabeth that Britt had stolen Dante and Lulu's child. Elizabeth conceded that Britt had done a horrific thing, but that didn't change that Nikolas had loved Britt. Nikolas admitted that he was furious that Britt had lied to him and had hurt his family. Satisfied, Elizabeth conceded hat it was a good start because she didn't want him to ignore that he had been a victim too.

Nikolas regretted that he hadn't listened to Elizabeth because he knew that Spencer would be devastated when Nikolas broke the news to his son. Nikolas explained that Spencer had grown to trust and adore Britt, but everything that Britt had done had been based on a lie. Elizabeth suggested that sometimes the heart and head didn't always agree and that people sometimes loved those who weren't good for them. Nikolas appreciated what she was trying to say, but he was curious why.

Nikolas reminded Elizabeth that she had warned him from the onset that Britt wasn't good enough for Nikolas. He knew that she was too gracious to say "I told you so," but the fact remained that all of her predictions about Britt had been accurate. He was curious why Elizabeth seemed determined to push him towards Britt. Elizabeth explained that she just wanted both of them to be clear and honest about where they stood and what their feelings were.

Nikolas agreed that it was for the best that he and Elizabeth put everything out in the open to avoid any future misunderstandings. Elizabeth promised Nikolas that she wouldn't judge him if he was still in love with Britt, but before Nikolas could reply, Ric rushed into the examination room, relieved that Elizabeth was alive. Ric explained that he had been frantic when he had heard the news about the shooting on the radio, so he had raced to the hospital to check on her.

A nurse popped her head into the room to let Nikolas and Ric know that it was too late for Elizabeth to have visitors, but Ric asked if they could make an exception for Elizabeth because Elizabeth was on staff. The nurse agreed that one visitor could stay, but the other had to leave, so Elizabeth suggested that Nikolas get home to Spencer. Nikolas reluctantly agreed but paused in the doorway when he heard Ric confess to being so shaken about the shooting that Ric had nearly driven into the lake when Ric had heard the news.

At the police station, in lockup, Liesl realized that the detective who had just left was "him." Madeline insisted that James was none of her younger sister's business, but Liesl disagreed because James was Liesl's son. Madeline disagreed because Liesl had been eager to dump the newborn with Madeline and had never looked back. Liesl accused Madeline of being wrong "as usual," but Madeline reminded Liesl that Liesl would have dumped the infant in an orphanage if Madeline hadn't stepped in to take the baby.

Liesl insisted that giving up her son had been the hardest thing that she had ever done. However, both Liesl and Madeline knew that Liesl hadn't had a choice, but Madeline disagreed because Liesl had chosen Faison over James. Liesl scoffed when Madeline suggested that Madeline had raised James out of the goodness of Madeline's heart when, in reality, Madeline had taken James because Madeline had owed Liesl.

Liesl pointed out that Madeline had left Liesl holding the bag in Basel and had taken refuge in the United States, while Liesl's face had been plastered all over the newspapers. Madeline wasn't in the mood to listen to Liesl's twisted version of history, but Liesl argued that Madeline was the one who had rewritten history to suit Madeline's own purposes. Liesl wondered if any of Madeline's friends knew that Madeline's son was really Madeline's sister's child. Madeline insisted that it didn't matter because in the end, Madeline had raised James.

Madeline suggested that Liesl forget James and focus on Liesl's own daughter. Liesl admitted that it wasn't that simple because she had seen her son and couldn't put him out of her mind. Liesl smiled with joy as she realized that her handsome son was Liesl's spitting image with Liesl's dark coloring and "smoldering" blue eyes. Liesl couldn't believe that she hadn't recognized him when she had first encountered him at the hospital; she also regretted that she had chastised him for wanting to use the hospital's resources.

Liesl conceded that it had given her pause when she had heard that his last name was West, but it was a common enough name in the United States that she hadn't connected the dots. However, Liesl was curious why her son had been going by a different name than the one that he had been given at birth. Madeline explained that James's middle name was Nathan and then claimed that he had decided to honor Madeline by using her maiden name, West.

Liesl hadn't just fallen off of the "spaetzle" truck, so Liesl was certain that there was more to it. Madeline accused Liesl of having a twisted mind, but Liesl argued that she was intelligent. Liesl recalled what Nathan had said to Madeline before he had stormed out, so Madeline blamed all of her troubles on Silas Clay. Liesl was surprised because Silas was an exceptional doctor.

Madeline conceded that Silas might be brilliant, but it didn't mean that he was a nice person. Liesl quickly put the pieces together when she recalled the trouble that had plagued Silas, and the remark Madeline had made about Nina. Liesl couldn't believe that Madeline would dare to suggest that Madeline was a better mother than Liesl, but Madeline insisted that she was better than Liesl. Liesl decided that Nathan should be the judge of that, but Madeline objected to Liesl talking to Nathan. Liesl insisted that Nathan deserved to know the truth, including that he had a sister that he had never met.

At the Floating Rib, Nathan took a seat next to Britt as she downed a double shot of vodka and then asked for another. He realized that she'd had a rough day. "You could say that," Britt muttered as Nathan decided to order what Britt was drinking. Nathan held up his drink and then suggested that they toast to drowning their sorrows. Britt agreed but doubted that Nathan's day had been as bad as hers. Nathan confessed that he was a detective and knew about Britt's legal troubles.

Britt's mood didn't improve when Nathan added that he was Dante's partner. Nathan quickly assured her that all that mattered to him was that Dante's son had been returned. Britt conceded that she'd never had a right to Ben, but she confessed that she would miss the baby deeply and that she had no idea what life would be like without Ben. Britt added that on top of losing Ben, she had also lost her fiancé, but Nathan assured her that she had done the right thing by returning Ben to his rightful parents.

Britt admitted that she had been disappointed because she had expected to feel redeemed for helping Dante and Lulu get their son back. However, she couldn't stop thinking about Ben, Nikolas, and how close she had been to being happy. Nathan wondered if it bothered Britt that it had all been built on a lie. "Yes," she answered and then admitted that she had always known that she had been living on borrowed time, but her nightmares hadn't compared to the awful reality.

Britt explained that she had lost everything because of "little ole Mary Sunshine," whom she insisted was "the nurse from hell." Britt insisted that Elizabeth had been smug, devious, and out to get Britt from the beginning, even though Elizabeth had once cheated on her own fiancé with Nikolas, who had been the fiancé's brother. Britt continued to rant about Elizabeth as she blamed Elizabeth for Britt's downfall but then conceded that the worst part was that Elizabeth had been right: Britt had hurt Nikolas badly

Britt lamented that Nikolas had been the only person to accept Britt and open his heart to her. Nathan appreciated that Britt had had a bad day, but he confessed that it was nothing compared to what Nathan's mother had done. Nathan quickly explained that his mother had murdered his pregnant sister. Britt was shocked as Nathan revealed that his mother had acted out of greed. Nathan recalled how much he had loved his sister and how full of life she had seemed when they had spent time together.

Nathan couldn't get past all the years that his mother had lied and manipulated him for her own ends. Britt felt bad for Nathan and admitted that their mothers sounded a lot alike. Britt opened up about her own lousy childhood and then admitted that Nathan was a good listener. Nathan smiled and then offered a toast to good company. After they finished their drinks, Nathan invited Britt to leave with him, so she agreed.

At General Hospital, Ric kept Elizabeth company as she recovered from her gunshot wound. Ric was charming as he tried to convince Elizabeth that he was sincere and had made a genuine change. Ric asked if Elizabeth was preoccupied with Nikolas. She said that she was but not in the way that Ric thought. Elizabeth said that Nikolas had to deal with his feelings for Britt because, even though Nikolas had broken up with Britt, he still had feelings of love for her.

Elizabeth and Ric spoke honestly. Ric told Elizabeth that he loved her, and he would do everything in his power to prove that to her and to prove that he was a changed man. Elizabeth thanked Ric for keeping her company. Ric kissed Elizabeth on the forehead and told her to get used to it because Elizabeth would be seeing a lot more of Ric in the future.

At Wyndemere, Nikolas looked at Britt's engagement ring and recalled how happy he had been. When he went to his bedroom, Nikolas found Spencer waiting for him. Nikolas tried to send Spencer to bed, but Spencer said that he was not going anywhere until Nikolas explained what had happened to Britt and Ben. Nikolas was reluctant, but Spencer was insistent, so Nikolas told him that Britt had done something very bad, and Nikolas had broken their engagement and sent Britt away.

Spencer understood but asked if Nikolas would send Spencer away if Spencer did something bad. Nikolas told Spencer that he was Nikolas' son, and Nikolas loved Spencer unconditionally, so there was nothing that Spencer could do that would get him sent away. They hugged and lay down on the bed together. Spencer said that he understood Nikolas' heartbreak because Emma had broken his heart when she had chosen Cameron.

Nikolas apologized for not being there to comfort Spencer, but Spencer said that Uncle Sonny had helped by giving Spencer some very good advice. Spencer said that after speaking to Sonny, he had gone to the stables to clear his head and had heard Luke make plans with another man to destroy Sonny. Nikolas thought that Spencer must have misheard, but Spencer was very insistent that Sonny was in trouble but did not know it.

Britt and Nathan were very drunk when they stumbled into his apartment with a bottle of vodka that had been acquired during the cab ride home. Britt laughed about the frilly décor, but Nathan told Britt it was a sublet. Nathan and Britt talked about their mothers and were just about to share a kiss when Maxie popped into the room.

Britt was astounded to find that Maxie was Nathan's roommate and Nathan was astonished to find out that Britt had been the doctor that Maxie had forced to keep Maxie's baby secret. Maxie was also blown away when Britt blurted out what had happened with Ben. Maxie was very, very happy for Dante and Lulu. She said that Levi had been correct when he had stated that the universe evens everything out. Maxie said that she was going back to bed so that she could go see Lulu and Dante the next day.

The mood was broken, but Nathan asked Britt to stay because he sensed that she needed a friend. He offered to take the couch, but Britt said that she would take it because she was grateful to have a place to stay. After Nathan went to his room, Britt pulled out her phone and tearfully looked at a photo of a happier time when she held Ben in her arms.

In their cells, Dr. Liesl Obrecht and Madeline Reeves called each other by their childhood names, Liesl and Magda. Liesl told Madeline that Nathan had a right to know that Liesl, not Madeline, was his mother. Madeline begged to differ. Liesl insisted that Nathan deserved to know that he had a sister, especially if they got interested in each other. Madeline said that there was a very unlikely chance of that, but Liesl replied that both siblings were living in the same town and might very well run into each other.

Madeline asked what crimes Liesl had been arrested for. When Liesl told her, Madeline was appalled, but Liesl laughed and said that she would be out shortly because she had planned for the possibility that her scheme would fail and had a back-up plan. Liesl called the guard and asked for her phone call. She told Madeline to watch and learn.

Dante and Lulu arrived home with Ben. Lulu was nervous about spending her first night as Ben's mom, but Dante assured her that she had always been Ben's mom. Lulu was comforted. When they entered the loft, Olivia was waiting with a big sign that read, "Welcome back home bambino!" Grandma Olivia was ecstatic for Dante and Lulu, and completely in love with her grandson.

After Olivia left, Dante and Lulu gave consideration to Olivia's suggestion that they change Ben's name. Dante thought that it was a good idea. He said that just as they had had no right to name Connie, Britt had had no right to name Ben. Spinelli had changed Connie's name, in part to disassociate it from all the pain that had been caused. Dante thought that they should do the same, and Lulu agreed.

As they tried to think of a name, Dante said it had to be "Rocco" because even when Maxie had been carrying Georgie, they had thought they were having a boy and had always called him Rocco. Lulu thought about it and then said "Rocco Falconeri." Both Dante and Lulu liked the sound of that. They were laughing when Dante's phone rang. It was Dr. Obrecht, who said that she wanted to make a statement, and she wanted Dante to take it.

Dante hung up and told Lulu that even though he thought that Dr. Obrecht was up to something, he had to go find out what it was. After Dante left, Lulu smiled as she put Rocco down to sleep. Dante found Dr. Obrecht in her cell. She stunned him with the news that Dante and Lulu had another living child, and she knew where it was. Dr. Obrecht said that she would tell all as soon as she was given her unconditional release.

Luke responded to Sonny's request to meet at Sonny's place. Sonny wanted to know what kind of game Luke was playing. Luke acted as if he did not know what Sonny was talking about. Sonny asked if Luke had told Ric that Sonny wanted to kill him. Luke took a moment and then replied that it was true, he had said that, but only after Ric had provoked him by making threats against Sonny. Luke was in the act of demanding that Sonny believe him instead of Ric when Olivia got home.

Olivia was bubbling over about their new grandson. She questioned Luke's lack of enthusiasm, but he said that the child made him mindful of his own mortality, and he was sure that Olivia and Sonny had to feel the same way. Olivia said that she sure did not, and she cautioned Luke not to talk that way in from of their grandson. Luke took his leave, and Sonny walked him to the door.

Luke asked if they were cool, and Sonny said that they were. Luke cautioned Sonny to be careful of the people he let close to him. Sonny nodded in agreement.